Ellevate Podcast: Conversations With Women Changing the Face of Business

In the Ellevate Podcast you’ll meet real women having a real impact. Female entrepreneurs, authors, business women, and other inspiring leaders share their experience and takeaways from their careers.
Ellevate Network is a community of professional women committed to helping each other succeed. We use the power of community to help you take the next step in your career. Hosts Kristy Wallace and Maricella Herrera interview female leaders to showcase the immense talent these women bring to the table.

As we leave Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month behind, we sit down with Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña to discuss the history of Asian Americans, what it means to be an Asian American today, and the recent incidents of hate crimes America has been grappling with.

On this episode, we sit down with Sehreen Noor Ali, Co-Founder and CEO of Visible Health, to discuss business ownership and motherhood with a special needs child. Sehreen shares her insights on the medical system, community support, and how she did it all.

On this episode, we sit down with Jen DaSilva, President of the creative agency Berlin Cameron, on how she got her start, important traits to have in a creative career. She shares the ins and outs of finding confidence, from crying at work ro leadership, leading with diversity, and her initiatives Girl Brands Do It Better and Connect4Women.

On this week's episode, we sit down with Kelli Wingo of KMW Catalyst. Her name appropriately translating to warrior in Gaelic, Kelli shares her insights on power of putting yourself first, advocating for others, and the imposter syndrome. Kelli also shares her guide to re-evaluating your career and wants during the pandemic to come out of the adversities as a warrior.

On this episode, writer, journalist, activist, and community builder Rachel Sklar joins us as we discuss how she got her start and continues to wear so many different hats. Rachel also shares the ins and outs of community building and capitalizing on your voice publicly all while being a single mom.

On this episode, Melissa Ternes, Certified Financial Coach and Founder of Master Your Money Now, joins us to understand why we spend money, how we can keep a budget, and properly tracking spendings. Melissa also shares her tips on how you can manage your money and protect your cash in times of uncertainty.

On this episode, we sit down with Sara Rodell, the founder of Loop & Tie, to talk about the art of gifting, her career journey from finance to entrepreneurship, and the importance of the pay-it-forward mindset. Sara also shares Loop & Tie's background of supporting small businesses and being an NFL fan-favorite.

As we spend more and more time in front of our TVs, we sit down with Lea Goldman, Chief Content Officer of Nineteen Twenty Media, to discuss her learnings from a 20+ year career in the media and entertainment industry. Lea shares how she made career changes, what she learned from working with women, an insider look at how some of the top listicles are made, and all about networking.

On this episode, Deepti Sharma, Founder of FoodtoEat and Bikky, tells the story of an industry in the front lines of the pandemic: restaurants and food services. Deepti also shares how she has managed to pivot as an entrepreneur, building community, and how everyone can play a part in overcoming the crisis.

On this episode, we sit down with Winnie Learner, Managing Partner at global strategic communications firm Finsbury, to discuss how organizations can navigate through uncharted waters. Lerner shares frameworks, tips, and common pitfalls of crisis communications, as well as internal and external best practices during the global pandemic.

On this special second episode of the week, we are joined by Amanda Murdock, Director of Fitness at Daily Burn, to discuss how we can stay active while practicing social distancing at home. Amanda shares why it's important to stay active during this time, her favorite workouts, easy ways to add movement to your day, and how she manages to stay active and motivated.

On this week's episode, we sit down with Dr. Amy Cirbus, Director of Clinical Content at Talkspace and practicing therapist, to answer all of your Covid-19 related mental health questions. Dr. Cirbus shares her tips and tricks on adjusting to the new normal, anxiety, or feeling like we are failing; and explains how you can make small changes at your workplace and integrate mindfulness into the every day.

On this episode, CEO of Park Place Payments and best-selling author, Sam Ettus, talks about finding the sought-after work-life balance, the definition of confidence, and shares her parenting advice. Sam also gives us an inside look into how she is on a mission to disrupt the financial industry with women at Park Place Payments, as well as addressing hesitations when starting a business.

Happy 200th episode! On this special celebration of International Women's Day and our podcast's 200th episode, Kristy Wallace goes on a listening tour around the world as six brave women share their untold stories in the workplace, as a part of the Raise Her Voice series. They are Asheefa Sarangi, Elizabeth Moses, Bonnie Low-Kramen, Viktoria Roussina, and Dr. Salma Nashef.

Dr. Jennifer Mieres, Senior Vice President, Center for Equity of Care and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Northwell Health, joins us this week in honor of Black History Month and American Heart Month for a discussion around unconscious bias in the healthcare sector, empowering women in their heart health and the elimination of disparities between men and women, as well as her new documentary Ms. Diagnosed. Dr. Mieres also shares her tips on customizing and creating inclusive health plans for heart health - one of the leading health problems in the U.S.

On this episode, we sit down with Naz Arandi, Global Creative Director at Airbnb, who shares her upbringing in Iran, cultural differences she has faced, and the road that took her to her current success. Naz also talks about the 21st century considerations of design, multiple facets of diversity, as well as how she manages a team of creatives who reflect Airbnb's global community.

On this week's episode Lynn Perkins, of Urban Sitters talks about her journey as an entrepreneur, the challenges faced when fundraising, and advice on how to find the right investors and partners for your startup. Perkins also talks about how having kids has impacted her work, mistakes parents make around childcare and advice on finding the right care provider for your children.

On this episode Vanessa De Luca, Editor-in-Chief of Zora Magazine, discusses her expansive experiences in media, celebrating voices of women of color, and using her experiences as a building block. De Luca also shares instances from her time as the only women of color in the room as well as her approach to being a better ally in the workplace and creating solutions towards progress.

On this episode, Cindy Eckert, Founder & CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals and The Pink Ceiling, talks about how she got her start in the male-dominated healthcare industry, the gendered narrative around sex and sexual health, as well as her journey as an entrepreneur. Cindy shares her own startup journey from raising funds to selling her company for 1 billion dollars, to becoming an angel investor and starting her "Pinkubator" for fellow female industry disruptors.

On this week's episode, we sit down with Ann Lewnes, Chief Marketing Officer of Adobe, to talk about her career path, the importance of utilizing multiple skill sets at work, and fostering creativity. Lewnes also talks about her experiences in the C-Suite, representing women and their stories in tech and creative industries, as well as the value of advocating for yourself.

On this episode, Kate McGuinness, Author of Confidence Lost / Confidence Found: How to Reclaim the Unstoppable You, joins us to talk about the ins and outs of authentic confidence and how you can find it. Kate discusses how she got her start, the unexpected gift of getting fired, accepting loss, and mindfulness. Moderator Kristy Wallace introduces lightning round questions.

On this episode, we are joined by two strong leaders, Annie Liu and Nikki Arwood of Charles Schwab, as they discuss their career journey from answering support calls to executive positions. The duo tackle peer relationships, advocating for women in the workplace, working remotely with functional leadership, and the art of networking. Liu and Arwood also discuss how to cultivate work, being a mother in the workplace, and the ins and outs of having a successful career in finance as women.

Kristy and Maricella feature some members of the Ellevate team for a very special end-of-year episode. They are joined by Raquel Ugalde, Sivi Ananthasingam, Charles Wang, Christina Murphy, Calvin Ieong, Rebecca Spitzer, Laura Ackerman, and Samantha Giannangeli, who reflect on their year at Ellevate, and tell both their most inspiring (and embarrassing) moments. Plus, tips on setting up your employees for success in the new year.

A third generation girl scout, Meridith Maskara, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York is not just passionate about girl scouts, but about supporting the generation of young girls and women who will be the change agents of tomorrow. This week, we talked about inclusivity and diversity within Girl Scouts, their active involvement in legislative decisions, the new programs Girl Scouts is offering including fields of STEM, advocacy, and entrepreneurship and how Girl Scouts are adapting to the fast-paced technological world of today. Meridith also discusses the role Girl Scouts’ program Troop 6,000 plays on girls and women in shelter, how to include men in conversations around equality, as well as teaching girls confidence at a young age.

On this Giving Tuesday edition, Veena Jayadeva, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Guardian and Sarah Degnan Kambou, PhD, CEO & President, International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), join us to talk about women's role in global development, understanding marginalized communities and how they change, as well as how you can pick philanthropic causes yourself. The powerful duo also discuss the importance of working locally, creating individual impact, activating your personal network as well as Giving Circle and the Women and Girls Fund.